


Most Cherished

by LadyxLettie



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, F/M, HOORAY, Injury, Light Angst, Mild Blood, idk how this site works yet, im pretty sure it is anyway, might add other tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-11-01 23:16:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20541326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyxLettie/pseuds/LadyxLettie
Summary: It was only supposed to be a simple tailing mission, no fighting. But when the target realizes they're there, and Ino ends up injured, Sai can't help but have a train wreck for his thoughts.





	Most Cherished

And naturally, my smile appears as our love starts to grow…

Art by me.

  


From the sassy blonde’s interactions since the start, he knew her emotions had blossomed rather quickly after the first meeting, ‘love at first sight’ as some of the books he’s read described, though if you were to ask him personally, he doesn’t feel that sort of thing is real. 

Sai’s always been neutral to Ino, even his comments about her beauty had stemmed from tips from a book and personal experience of saying the opposite to Sakura. He never even believed he had such emotions, having thought ROOT stomped them out along with most other emotions, and the last of it fizzing out after the loss of his brother.

But this came so subtly, he didn’t even realize what was happening. Sai suspects it started after the incident with Gengo, as thanks he agreed to take Ino on a date. At the time, he followed the tips from the book on dating, and it was enjoyable, but he didn’t think too deeply on it, as it was just a “friend date” he’d thought. Ino seemed to enjoy it a lot, and he was glad she was happy as it was to thank her. He didn’t expect her to ask for a 2nd one, but didn’t deny it as he just assumed it was a friend hangout instead of something more romantic.

They had a few dates before he’d realize what was going on in his heart, and even then it wasn’t until he stared down at her limp body in his arms that it all clicked.

He adjusted her to be closer, pressing his palm carefully to her chest, while holding around her back even tighter, trying to stop the bleeding. When the woman in his arms starts shivering though, he realizes his attempts to stop the bleeding isn't working. He pulls his hand away, looking at the blood smeared onto it-- her blood. His eyebrows crinkle lightly in distraught. The pain in his heart at the sight of her laying in his arms dying, it’s almost as much as what he felt seeing Shin die a second time during the war. 

His thoughts are then interrupted by a sinister laugh from in front of them. Sai looks up at the rogue ninja who caused this whole situation. They were only supposed to investigate sightings of him-- no fighting. But he caught them, and whilst tailing him, he turned suddenly, and before they knew it, a barrage of kunai flew toward them, they blocked them expertly but, without realizing, the ninja had suddenly appeared in front of them and he took a strike at Sai with an off colored kunai. Before it hit it’s target however, Ino went to hit it out of the way, only for the enemy to redirect it and stab at her instead.

She fell fast, it took too many precious seconds before she realized the weapon had been poisoned, and that this was going to be very slow, and painful. When she realized and was going to heal herself she couldn’t activate her chakra. 

Sai was at her side in seconds, trying to help her, but without any medical ninjutsu, there wasn’t much he could do but slow the bleeding.

The enemy laughs at them more but before he realizes, he’s pinned by monsters of ink. He stares up at Sai, whose expression has become cold, and calculating, reverting back to the Sai of ROOT. 

The job is done in seconds, and brutally. Sai looks back to his fallen partner then to the corpse in front of him. He has his ink beasts take him away before dismissing them back into a splatter of ink. 

Sai walks over to the girl, brushing the hair from her face and looking down at her, unsure of how to feel or what to say. He tenses when he sees her hand reach up and touch the one he’d used previously to brush her hair aside. Her eyes gaze up at his, though the look is more glassy than usual, less like she sees through his facade, and more like she barely even sees him.

“I’m sorry,” comes barely even a whisper from her lips.

Sai’s expression becomes distraught again-- Why is she apologizing?-- He shakes his head, “It is my fault…” He speaks softly, monotone despite the look on his face. His brows crinkle more when she shakes her head lightly.

Tears start to stream down the side of her face, “I’m sorry…” she repeats, “For not telling you how I feel sooner-” Before she can continue, she seizes into a coughing fit, Sai quickly turns her onto her side, before she chokes on any possible fluids. Wheezing and panting, she looks back to him.

Before she can say anything though, he pulls her head to rest in his lap and narrows his eyes, jaw clenched tight.

He’s seen this done many times, not only by the woman before him, but by his former teammate, Sakura Haruno. It’ll be very rough, but at least, he hopes, it can work as a first aid.  
  
Ino watches confused and dazed, her cheeks tinting as Sai rests his hands just above her chest. When he takes a deep breath and shuts his eyes to focus, her foggy mind finally realizes what he’s attempting, she tries to speak in retaliation but all the comes out is a croaked cough. Sai tenses at the sound, his heart pounding as his eyes shoot open, chakra beginning to take form around his hands above the wound on her chest.

He feels beads of sweat drip down, this one act of medical ninjutsu taking more focus than he’s ever had to use on his other jutsu. He occasionally sneaks glances at Ino’s face to see if her condition might be improving.

For what feels like forever, nothing happens, but finally the healing seems to take effect, at least a minor one. After forcing focus for a few seconds longer, Sai has to stop, sweat dripping down his face and arms, breathing rough and hard. But she’s gained some color back to her face and that’s all he needs.

Despite his low chakra, he musters up enough to call forth another ink beast, pulling her onto it with him and having it take them as close to Konoha as he can possibly hold its form. However the beast fails and Sai and Ino collapse, fallen just before they can reach the village.

* * *

When Sai’s eyes next open, all he sees is white. He almost believes he’s dead, until he hears a door open, and a pair of odd sounding footsteps, and--

“Sai!!” Ino calls out, and his eyes open wider, he looks over to her just in time to see her almost fall down to get to him, but get caught by Sakura.

  
“Ino! I told you I’d take you her on the condition you take it as easy as you can!” Sakura scolds the blonde, before lifting her up bridal style and just carrying her to the bed, setting her down on the edge with the most room but still close to Sai.

Ino’s face had reddenned considerably at suddenly being carried in such a way by the other girl. Before Sai realizes it, he’s laughing lightly, but genuinely.

Ino and Sakura both startle at this and look at him, Ino’s blushing softening as she stares at him in awe, affection swarming in her eyes, and before she can think it through, she leans down and hugs him tightly. Sai’s eyes widen and his laugh stops as he slowly peeks at the woman suddenly holding onto him, as if he were all she had. Sakura takes this moment to sneak out of the room and give them some privacy (As much as she wants to stay and watch).

“You shouldn’t have done that, you don’t even know proper medical ninjutsu, dummy,” She scolds lightly, still holding tight. She startles as she feels his arms wrap around her as well.

“I’ve seen you and Sakura-san do it plenty of times,” He starts, his eyes shutting, as he cranes his head more against the nook of her neck, “I had to protect….” he pauses, considering his next words carefully. Ino glances to the back of his head as she feels his grip around her tighten, protectively, the blush on her cheeks darkening considerably.

“I had to protect the person I cherish most… The one I love.” He states, his voice almost a whisper, as if he were afraid someone would overhear this moment.

Ino’s heart skips a beat.

**Author's Note:**

> Mostly wrote this on a whim, so it's not necessarily thought out well but! I hope you enjoyed it anyway!


End file.
